Image-forming apparatus such as copiers, printers and facsimiles, including electrophotographic systems for charging, exposure, development, transfer, etc., using electrophotographic photoreceptors have been widely employed. In such image-forming apparatus, there are ever-increasing demands for improving the speed of the image-forming processes, improving image quality, miniaturizing and prolonging the life of the apparatus, reducing production and running costs, etc. Further, with recent advances in computers and communication technology, digital systems and color-image output systems have been applied also to image-forming apparatus.
Electrophotographic imaging members (i.e. photoreceptors) are well known. Electrophotographic imaging members having either a flexible belt or a rigid drum configuration are commonly used in electrophotographic processes. Electrophotographic imaging members may comprise a photoconductive layer including a single layer or composite layers. These electrophotographic imaging members take many different forms. For example, layered photoresponsive imaging members are known in the art. U.S. Pat. No. 4,265,990 to Stolka et al. describes a layered photoreceptor having separate photo-generating and charge transport layers. The Stolka photo-generating layer is capable of photo-generating holes and injecting the photo-generated holes into the charge transport layer, and the photogenerating material generates electrons and holes when subjected to light.
More advanced photoconductive photoreceptors containing highly specialized component layers are also known. For example, multi-layered photoreceptors may include one or more of a substrate, an undercoating layer, an intermediate layer, an optional hole- or charge-blocking layer, a charge-generating layer (including a photogenerating material in a binder) over an undercoating layer and/or a blocking layer, and a charge-transport layer (including a charge-transport material in a binder). Additional layers, such as one or more overcoat layer or layers, may be included as well.
In view of such a background, improvement in electrophotographic properties and durability, miniaturization, reduction in cost, etc., in electrophotographic photoreceptors have been studied, and electrophotographic photoreceptors using various materials have been proposed.
For example, JP-A-63-65449 (the term “JP-A” as used herein means an “unexamined published Japanese patent application”) discloses an electrophotographic photoreceptor in which fine silicone particles are added to a photosensitive layer, and also discloses that such addition of the fine silicone particles imparts lubricity to a surface of the photoreceptor.
Further, in forming a photosensitive layer, a method has been proposed in which a charge-transfer substance is dispersed in a binder polymer or a polymer precursor thereof, and then the binder polymer or the polymer precursor thereof is cured. JP-B-5-47104 (the term “JP-B” as used herein means an “examined Japanese patent publication”) and JP-B-60-22347 disclose electrophotographic photoreceptors using silicone materials as the binder polymers or the polymer precursors thereof.
Furthermore, in order to improve mechanical strength of the electrophotographic photoreceptor, a protective layer is formed on the surface of the photosensitive layer in some cases. Often, a cross-linkable resin is used as a material for the protective layer. However, protective layers formed by cross-linkable resin act as insulating layers, which impair the photoelectric characteristics of the photoreceptor. For this reason, a method of dispersing a fine conductive-metal-oxide powder (JP-A-57-128344) or a charge-transfer substance (JP-A-4-15659) in the protective layer and a method of reacting a charge-transfer substance having a reactive functional group with a thermoplastic resin to form the protective layer have been proposed.
However, even such conventional photoreceptors are not necessarily sufficient in electrophotographic characteristics and durability, particularly when they are used in combination with a charger of the contact-charging system (contact charger) or a cleaning apparatus, such as a cleaning blade.
Further, when a photoreceptor is used in combination with a contact charger and a toner obtained by chemical polymerization (polymerization toner), image quality may be deteriorated due to a surface of the photoreceptor being stained with a discharge product produced in contact charging or the polymerization toner remaining after a transfer step. Still further, the use of a cleaning blade to remove discharge product or remaining toner from the surface of the photoreceptor involves friction and abrasion between the surface of the photoreceptor and the cleaning blade, which tends to damage the surface of the photoreceptor, breaks the cleaning blade or turns up the cleaning blade.
The use of silicon-containing compounds in photoreceptor layers, including in photosensitive and protective layers, has been shown to increase the mechanical lifetime of electrophotographic photoreceptors, under charging conditions and scorotron charging conditions. For example, U.S. Patent Application Publication US 2004/0086794 to Yamada et al. discloses a photoreceptor having improved mechanical strength and stain resistance.
Belt-type electrophotographic photoreceptor typically comprises an additional coating layer on the back of the substrate to prevent it from curling. Conventional anti-curling layer is coated from a polycarbonate material. Inside xerographic machine, high friction and abrasion between the backing layer and the other moving parts in contact with remains an issue.
However, there still remains a need for electrophotographic photoreceptors having high mechanical strength and improved electrophotographic characteristics even under conditions of high temperature and high humidity. In addition, there also remains a need for electrophotographic photoreceptors that have having high mechanical strength and long life with respect to non-imaging surfaces.